Lewis Hamilton has abandoned his simulator routine for the Canadian Grand Prix after persistent preparation issues. The seven-time champion was outqualified by Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc in Miami by 0.176s and finished 24 seconds behind before Leclerc's late-race penalty. Hamilton described the simulator's correlation with track performance as poor, leading to ineffective set-up choices.

Hamilton elaborated that simulator work, intended to help, actually misdirected his car's set-up. He explained that on sprint weekends like Miami, limited practice time forces drivers to stick with a flawed baseline. Without simulator data, he performed best in China. Ferrari's power deficit, losing three to four tenths on straights, will also challenge him in Montreal.

Hamilton confirmed the SF-26 suits his driving style but set-up remains problematic. He plans to rely on factory meetings rather than simulator laps in Montreal. The team's straightline speed shortfall is a known issue that must be addressed before the next race to avoid repeating recent struggles.